6
Method of operation
- Use the brush cutter or the grass trimmer only in good light and visibility. During
cold seasons beware of slippery or wet areas, ice and snow (risk of slipping).
Always ensure a safe footing.
- Do not overreach. Keep proper footing, balance and hand control of the unit at all
times.
- Never cut above waist level.
- Never stand on a ladder while running the brush cutter or the grass trimmer.
- Never climb up into trees to perform any cutting operation with the brush cutter or
the grass trimmer.
- Never work on unstable surfaces or steep terrain.
- Remove all objects such as stones, nails, broken glass, wire etc. found within the
working area. Foreign articles may damage the cutting tool, can cause dangerous
kickbacks, or could be thrown about dangerously.
- Before commencing cutting, the cutting tool must have reached full working
speed.
- Never operate this tool while it is turned upside-down or when it is at an extreme
angle.
-
WARNING! – The cutter area is still dangerous while the machine is coasting
to a stop.
Kickback
- When operating the brush cutter, uncontrolled kickback can occur.
- This particularly is the case when attempting to cut within a blade segment
between 12 and 2 o’clock as viewed from the operator’s position.
- Never touch this segment of the brush cutter to solid objects, such as bushes,
stumps, trees, etc., with a diameter greater than 3 cm.
- The brush cutter will then be deflected at great force and speed with the potential
risk of serious injuries.
-
Never operate the brush cutter using the blade segment between the 12 and
2 o’clock position.
Kickback prevention
To avoid kickbacks, observe the following:
- Operation within the blade segment between 12 and 2 o’clock can cause serious
potential hazards, especially when using metal cutting blades.
Use of this brush cutter utilizing blade segment positions from 11 to 12 o’clock and
2 to 5 o’clock can still cause a likely potential for some kickback.
- Cutting operations attempted within the blade segments between 11 and 12
o’clock, and between 2 and 5 o’clock, should only be performed by trained and
experienced operators, and only at their own risk. Smooth and easy cutting with
almost no kickback is possible using the blade segment between 8 and 11 o’clock.
Cutting Tools
Use only the correct cutting tool for the specific job in hand.
Nylon cutting head:
Exclusively designed for cutting along walls, fences, grass edges, trees, posts, etc.
(supplementing a lawn mower). Perform this cutting work by swinging the grass
trimmer evenly in semi-circles from right to left.
Star blade
For cutting thick materials, such as weeds, tall grass, bushes, shrubs, underbrush,
thickets, etc. (max. 2 cm dia. thickness). Perform this cutting work by swinging the
brush cutter evenly in semi-circles from right to left (similar to using a scythe).
Maintenance instructions
- The condition of the cutter, in particular of the cutter blade, guard and of the
shoulder strap must be checked before commencing work. Particular attention is
to be paid to the cutting blades which must be correctly sharpened.
- Turn off the engine and remove spark plug connectors when replacing or
sharpening cutting blade, and also when cleaning the cutter or cutting tool.
Caution: Kickback
Diagrammatic figure
Diagrammatic figure
Summary of Contents for RBC420
Page 171: ...171 ...
Page 172: ...ALA Makita Corporation Anjo Aichi Japan 6419521300 www makita com ...